Pixels to Inches: Print Size Chart (300 & 150 DPI)
Lookup chart converting pixel dimensions to print sizes at 300, 200, and 150 DPI — every standard frame size from 4x6 to 24x36 and A5 to A1.
Bookmark chart. Pixels ÷ DPI = inches; that's the whole science. The tables below pre-compute it for every standard frame size.
US print sizes → pixels needed
| Print size | 300 DPI (sharp) | 200 DPI (very good) | 150 DPI (poster-ok) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4x6 | 1200 x 1800 | 800 x 1200 | 600 x 900 |
| 5x7 | 1500 x 2100 | 1000 x 1400 | 750 x 1050 |
| 8x10 | 2400 x 3000 | 1600 x 2000 | 1200 x 1500 |
| 8x12 | 2400 x 3600 | 1600 x 2400 | 1200 x 1800 |
| 9x12 | 2700 x 3600 | 1800 x 2400 | 1350 x 1800 |
| 11x14 | 3300 x 4200 | 2200 x 2800 | 1650 x 2100 |
| 12x16 | 3600 x 4800 | 2400 x 3200 | 1800 x 2400 |
| 12x18 | 3600 x 5400 | 2400 x 3600 | 1800 x 2700 |
| 16x20 | 4800 x 6000 | 3200 x 4000 | 2400 x 3000 |
| 16x24 | 4800 x 7200 | 3200 x 4800 | 2400 x 3600 |
| 18x24 | 5400 x 7200 | 3600 x 4800 | 2700 x 3600 |
| 20x30 | 6000 x 9000 | 4000 x 6000 | 3000 x 4500 |
| 24x36 | 7200 x 10800 | 4800 x 7200 | 3600 x 5400 |
ISO A sizes → pixels needed
| Paper | Inches | 300 DPI | 150 DPI |
|---|---|---|---|
| A5 | 5.8 x 8.3 | 1748 x 2480 | 874 x 1240 |
| A4 | 8.3 x 11.7 | 2480 x 3508 | 1240 x 1754 |
| A3 | 11.7 x 16.5 | 3508 x 4961 | 1754 x 2480 |
| A2 | 16.5 x 23.4 | 4961 x 7016 | 2480 x 3508 |
| A1 | 23.4 x 33.1 | 7016 x 9933 | 3508 x 4961 |
(Why every A size is the same shape — and why that's a gift to sellers — is covered in A4 vs US Letter.)
Worked example: reading the chart backwards
You have a 4000x6000 px photo and a buyer asks about 16x24.
- 4000 ÷ 16 = 250 DPI. The chart row for 16x24 confirms: above the 200 column, below 300.
- Answer: "16x24 will print at 250 DPI — excellent for wall display." No guessing, no overpromising.
Notice the shape matters too: 4000x6000 is 2:3, so it fits 16x24 without cropping. A 3:4 frame like 18x24 would need an 11% crop first — ratio and resolution are separate checks, and both live in the full printable size guide.
If you'd rather not do lookups at all: drop the image into the Ratio-Pack Generator and it prints "cleanly up to N x M in" on every crop automatically, with an amber warning below 300 DPI and red below 150 — the same bands as this chart, computed from your actual pixels. And before promising 300 DPI in a listing, skim what DPI really means — the metadata tag and the pixel count are two different things.
Ratio-Pack Generator
Turn one image into every print ratio buyers ask for — 300 DPI, cropped in your browser. Free, instant, nothing uploads.